Man Threatened to Stab 2 Women, Burn House, Police Say

Two Emmaus women were harassed by an Upper Macungie man who threatened to stab both of them in the head and burn down their home on S. 11th Street, according to court papers.

Russell J. Gallagher, 41, was taken into custody by Emmaus Police about 11 p.m. Feb. 9, after one of the women reported that someone had been circling the block around their home and had used the spare key fob for her car to set off the car alarm.

She also told police that he had been repeatedly calling her on the phone.

Police issued Gallagher a harassment citation and brought him back to his home at 1063 Mosser Road, Breiningsville. He was told not to contact the woman or return to her neighborhood in Emmaus.

Police report that soon after being dropped off at home, Gallagher again contacted the woman by telephone and threatened to “walk to Emmaus and burn the house down,” according to court papers. Later in the conversation, Gallagher allegedly said that he intended to steal a neighbor’s car and return to Emmaus and stab “them” in the head.

He also spoke to the woman who owns the S. 11th Street home and again threatened to burn the house down.

Police do not say how Gallagher is connected to the women.

According to online court records, Gallagher was charged with two counts of terroristic threats and three counts of harassment. He was arraigned by District Judge Jacob Hammond and sent to Lehigh County Prison under $25,000 bail.